With the majority of San Antonio’s youth returning to school next week, it looks like Alice Cooper was wrong, school is unfortunately not out forever.  I, for one, would not mind returning to school, especially if it was at the Culinary Institute of America.  This past week I was invited to be a student-for-a-day and got to learn about their new Associates Degree and shadow an aspiring chef.  We got to make Hollandaise sauce and I look forward to writing about the experience in the upcoming week (spoiler alert: my sauce broke!).  Until then, on to the Quick Bites!

• The Pearl Brewery and Alamo Drafthouse will be hosting a Selena singalong tonight at 8:30PM as part of the Rolling Roadshow Series.  Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, beverages (no glass please), and their singing voices.  Definitely a fun event to kick off your weekend!

• On the suggestion of Mike Addkison, I had lunch at Cascabel on South St. Mary’s this week.  I ordered the tlacoyos plate made with tinga (shredded chicken).  The rice was outstanding and the nopalitos (prickly pear) were cooked just right and were not too sour.  I loved the atmosphere and how the napkins came in bright colors with a pewter napkin ring.  The tamarindo aguas fresca was ice cold and its sweetness helped to temper the spicy red sauce.

The tlacoyo plate at Cascabel; they got the presentation down from the place settings to the food. Delicious.

• Even though I mentioned it in last week’s Quick Bites, here’s another reminder that Culinaria: Restaurant Week is coming up next week as well as Central Market’s deadline for recipes for their Hatch Green Chile Recipe Contest!

• Have a sweet tooth?  You may want to stop by the Culinary Institute of America’s Bakery and Pastry shop on the Pearl Brewery campus.  Open to the public, the cafe serves up some delectable desserts.  While I was on campus this past week, I got to try some that their students had made and they were amazing!

Chocolate dessert from the CIA.

•  The food related post of the week involves another Top Chef sighting by the Texas Yankee.  While trying to grab a bite at Mad Hatters  the Texas Yankee inadvertently became an extra in a forthcoming episode.  I don’t want to spoil the story, so be sure to check out his blog for all the details!

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